Face Down
by Miztical-Dragon
Summary: Life is perfect for Kagome Higurashi, well except for the fact that her make up doesn't always cover the evidence of her fiancee's Love beatings. InuYasha is searching for a way to save the girl he loves but will it be enough? Full Summary Inside. COMPLET
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own InuYasha and Co. it's probably a good thing because the fans would have already shot me. I also don't own **"face down" by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus**… they are awesome!!_

_**Full Summay: **Life is perfect for Kagome Higurashi, well except for the fact that her make up doesn't always cover the evidence of her fiancee's "Love beatings". InuYasha is searching for a way to save the girl he loves but will it be enough? Can he save a girl who doesn't know what she wants? Will love be able to save the both of them or will Kagome wind up dead in some alley?_

_This is actually a two-part one-shot because I'm just being lazy. There is Adult content in this story, i.e. violence, physical/sexual abuse, sexual content (edited of course) so if you do not like these kinds of situations, then please go somewhere else. I will not warn you again._

"Face Down" 

By Miztikal-Dragon

Cold air swirled around the light posts and showered down on the people as they waited patiently in front of the nightclub's enormous metal door. A single man stood at the entrance, his large muscles rippling with the waxing and waning breeze over his flesh; the black t-shirt on his body fitting snugly over his shoulders. Music boomed, the bass vibrating through the cement and into the shoes of every person in a block's distance.

Ebony hair fluttered and a light laughter filled the night air as a group of four cut through the somewhat long line; angry shouts and protests being left on deaf ears. Blue eyes sparkled, the bouncer's lips quirking at the tip just a little, his muscular hand unclipping the velvet rope and allowing the small group to enter through the now open door. A man with braided silver hair shook hands with the bouncer, a familiar and intimate tone in his voice as a one hundred dollar bill was passed unseen between the two of them.

Amber eyes surveyed the enormous club, the music pounding in his ear and making it hard to breathe. It wasn't often that he was able to come out to the bars with his friends, the music hypnotizing him and everyone else around him; drinking and dancing until he could no longer tell up from down or left from right. Spying his group, he weaved through the seductive bodies, hands touching him appreciatively and a sly smile forming on his lips.

He could see her laughing from her seat at the bar, her small hands loosely holding the glass filled with an amber liquid and his heart squeezed in his chest. Kagome, his mind whispered softly, though he was surprised he could still even think with the music blaring loud enough in his ears he thought they would bleed.

He had been friends with her for years, approaching eight this coming fall and as he drew closer he found himself entranced by her beauty. It was more than obvious to say that he loved her and he had for a few years now, but those feelings were merely buried deep in his chest and ignored. Kagome was engaged to her high school sweet heart and by June the two of them would be married and live happily ever after. Well at least that's what only Kagome seemed to believe.

He touched her shoulder gently standing less than a few inches away and when she looked back at him, her pale face lit up and he felt the warmth spread though out his entire body. Sometimes it was almost too hard to keep the urge to kiss her at bay.

_**Hey girl, you know you drive me crazy**_

_**One look puts the rhythm in my hand.**_

_**Still I'll never understand why you hang around.**_

_**I see what's going down.**_

Kagome's laughter bubbled and her drink was left on the countertop as her hands sought out his and dragged him through the crowd towards the middle of the dance floor. Bodies swayed and pushed the two of them closer together and he found himself pressed flush with her body, hands clutching clothing as she molded herself to his chest.

The twanging sounds of guitars battling each other echoed in his head as drums voiced their opinions, the underground band beginning their song and exciting the crowd tenfold; their cries and shouts drowning out most of the music. His tanned hands held Kagome's creamy skin, pulling her closer and he watched the slight blush creep across her face and he laughed.

It wasn't like they hadn't been this close before since they went out 'clubbing' as his buddy Miroku liked to say at least once a month (sometimes more if it were possible). Then again he didn't spend as much time as he would have liked with her and he mentally cursed the man she claimed to love as the reason behind him not being able to see Kagome often. He was a controlling man and on a few occasions InuYasha swore that he had a mean streak that ended with a hole in the wall or a bruise hidden underneath strategically placed articles of clothing.

Her curved hip rolled across him and InuYasha bit on his lip to suppress the moan in his throat. She did things to him and if he wasn't careful he would lose control of himself and then he would have to suffer the consequence; Kagome having to suffer the most damage in the long run for merely innocent touches. Spotlights danced around them, painting their flesh temporarily yellow, pink and green. Lights flashing rapidly enough to cause seizures, but no one seemed to notice; their bodies jumping and moving to the music as it trapped their hearts in a numbing bliss of release.

Minutes sped away like seconds, one song ending and another beginning, a different tune sparking new life out of the endless waves of strangers and sending them into a new hysteric frenzy of unabashed and carefree behavior (some more lewd than others). Finding his throat parched as he stared heatedly at Kagome's endlessly swaying body, he wrapped his hand around her wrist and tugged her away from the middle of the dance floor, signaling for a drink and the smile that graced her lips made his knees weak.

"I'm having so much fun InuYasha!" She screamed in his ear as he reached for a bottle of water from the bartender's hand and opening it, downing half of the distilled water in three gulps.

"Well that's good to know!" He shouted back, handing her the bottle and licking his lips as she drank.

Her laughter reached his ears again and he grabbed her hands, the two of them losing themselves to the music as it switched between fast-paced deafening rock music to somewhat slower and though still loud and deafening, yet more relaxed alternative. Arms wrapped around waists and snaked hesitantly around necks with comfortable silence as they grew closer and InuYasha almost forgot to breathe feeling Kagome's head against his chest as he moved her to the beat of the song playing.

He could barely hear the hoots and hollers of the people around him, the surrounding people breaking loose from their shells and giving into the primal need of their instincts and he longed to be free like they were. He had instincts, painful instincts as he tightened his hold on his lovely companion and he wished that he could at least once be able to feel the way she kissed.

Sure he kept reminding himself that she was taken, but it didn't matter because he would always keep himself in check; always denying himself of the yearning of his soul that tore him to pieces each time he watched her walk into the open arms of the other man.

The night came and went faster than he anticipated and before InuYasha could slow himself down, Kagome was pulling herself from his hold and grabbing her jacket indicating that it was time for them to leave. Sango and Koga decided to stay later and hook up the with rest of the gang, their style of bar hoping normally going on until the last bar closed for the night at three in the morning; if they were lucky a little later.

InuYasha snagged his jacket and threw himself in it as he followed Kagome quickly out of the bar, digging into his large pockets groping around for his car keys. The night air had grown colder over the time passed and plums of white smoke escaped their lips as they stalked to the darkened part of the street opposite to where the bar stood. He jogged over to the passenger side before Kagome could reach it and unlocked the door for her, holding it open and closing it as she situated herself in the plush seat before he cross the front and jumped into the driver's side.

The engine to his 1988 tan and brown XLT Bronco roared to life when he turned the ignition on and with practiced ease he sped off down the empty street and away from the bouncing and enjoyable music. The car ride was quiet and Kagome rested her head in the palm of her hand, her blue eyes watching the scene outside the vehicle as it rushed passed her at dangerous speeds.

She never understood exactly why InuYasha liked to speed as much as he did, but she could only sigh and try to forget about the worries of life. It had been fun getting away from her daily routine and she found herself wondering what it would be like if she was unattached. There were many different possibilities flashing themselves at her and with each new presentation she withdrew deeper into her comfortable and safe life.

It wasn't like she couldn't say that she had a nearly perfect life, because she did. A wonderful job that she loved, a man that she planned to marry who she'd been with for a very long time, and friends that were hard to come by; she felt as though she were living out the fairy tale life she'd always read about in stories.

Then again with every fairy tale there was always the evil that always lurked in the darkness waiting for its turn to rear it's ugly head. And she guessed that even in her seemingly perfect life there were things that she wished she could change, but that would be impossible. The old saying was you could lead a horse to water, but you couldn't make it drink, and Naraku was exactly like a stubborn horse in some aspects.

Her thoughts were interrupted as InuYasha's hand gingerly touched hers laying lightly on her lap, his amber eyes staring right through her and she felt her heart skip a beat. His body was twisted around facing her, his braided hair falling over his shoulder and the stray strands of silver framing his face making him look even more handsome than she thought could be possible. Heat flooded into her cheeks as she blushed and even though she tried averting her gaze she found herself paralyzed by his very presence and a bottled up emotion of longing sprung free from her heart.

"Hey?" His voice was soft and low and she felt her breath quickening. "Kagome, are you okay?"

She couldn't look away and it was like her body was on fire, his hand moving from her hand and cupping her cheek; the pad of his thumb caressing the hot flesh. A lump formed in her throat and she swallowed thickly, this was almost too much for her.

"Y-yeah," she sounded husky, her tone low and seductive. InuYasha tried catching himself as he drew closer but it was as though he had lost control of his body. "I- InuYash-"

His lips slanted over hers cutting off whatever she had planned to say next and Kagome felt a jolt of electricity enter her body. She hadn't expected for him to kiss her in a million years, but there he was, his soft lips molding against hers and it was like heaven. InuYasha managed to steal her breath away as he parted her lips gently with his tongue, it dipping into her mouth and tasting everything that she had to give him and more. It was like the whole entire world had disappeared and there was only the two of them sitting in the car, nothing else in the real world mattering as they shared an innocent kiss.

Kagome was the first to pull away, her hands fisted tightly in the cotton material of InuYasha's shirt, his eyes half open in a lazy yet enticing passion and she had the sudden urge to kiss him again, but she didn't. Other things began seeping back into her clouded mind and a sudden torrent of guilt exploded in her eyes, her teeth worrying on her lower lip.

She shouldn't have allowed herself to be kissed by InuYasha, it was wrong and she mentally berated her weakness. It wasn't fair because she was engaged to a man she loved and here she was kissing another man; one that she had sworn to her fiancé was nothing but a friend. The overwhelming feeling that she had betrayed him stabbed her repeatedly and she had to get out.

"I better go," she unbuckled herself and climbed out of the bronco before InuYasha could protest.

With a bright smile on her face, Kagome waved goodnight to InuYasha before turning her back on him and sprinting to her door; the large house looming angrily over her and she swallowed the thickness crawling back into her throat. All the lights were off and she dug in her coat for her keys for a moment before unlocking the door and glancing one last time over her shoulder to see amber eyes and long silver hair a few yards away. She really wished that she had been able to control herself because now she wouldn't ever be able to look at her friend again.

Closing the door behind her and leaning against it for silent support, Kagome let out a heavy sigh, her fingers rising to touch her kiss-bruised lips and she couldn't help but smile thinking about the way she felt when he kissed her. It was something that was forbidden, she reminded herself standing up straight and immediately she bottled up the emotions that came to life when she was with InuYasha and buried it deep down inside her chest. These emotions would get her nowhere but in trouble and there was no way she could pursue them; not when she had her fiancé.

Opening her eyes as InuYasha's engine roared, his car driving away she cried out staring into a pair of glowing orbs of black. He stood merely inches away from her and suddenly she felt as though she was being swallowed by the darkness. Something had happened and she didn't have enough time to block his fist as it found her face.

_**Cover up with make up in the mirror**_

_**Tell yourself it's never gunna happen again**_

**_You cry alone and then he swears he loves you._ **

He stood in the window waiting for Kagome to get home from her once a month bar experience with her so called friends. If it were up to him she wouldn't have been going out with them, their irresponsible behavior and lack of respect for the white-collared worker; they were gravel beneath his Italian loafers. Lifting the cotton from his wrist, he glanced down angrily at the watch that read one thirty a.m. It was too late for his fiancé to be out unchaperoned with a bunch of hooligans and he mentally pushed down the anger rising up in the back of his throat like bile.

There was always a time and a place to relax and he personally believed that she should not waste her time in bars when she could be home with him instead. After all he was going to be her husband soon and it was about time that she learned her place. Sure he didn't always like hitting her, but it seemed as though she never learned and even when it was accidental it was in one ear and out the other with her. Then again, the one's that were harder to tame were always worth it in the end because he would break her and put the pieces back together where he saw fit. When he was finished with Kagome there would be no more InuYasha, no more nights at the bars dancing like a common slut and that thought made him smile.

Brushing away the white curtains hearing the loud engine of InuYasha's pathetic truck, Naraku narrowed his eyes. He never liked the other boy and he wanted nothing more than to show him too who was boss when it came to Kagome; however, at the moment he knew that he couldn't because Kagome wouldn't allow it. She could only find the strength to justify her friends and their behavior and that bothered him more than he let on. She was his and his alone, she didn't need friends because she was marrying him and he would be the only one she needed in the long run.

He leaned against the wall as he stared at the pair of them, his arms crossed lazily over his chest and his black hair tied up in a high ponytail. If Kagome had been home earlier she could have enjoyed the present he had bought for her and a twinge of anger pricked his temple. He didn't want her going out with anyone but him and he silently counted the minutes as she sat there in his enemies vehicle acting as though she had all the time in the world to waste. But he wouldn't let her waste his time, or her time when she should have been spending it at home doing things that women did. Obeying.

It was in that instant that Naraku watched Kagome allow her friend to touch her like he did and if he had been holding the wind glass sitting on the dresser across him, it would have shattered from his rage. She had no right to let that street vermin even lay a finger on her and he seethed; his muscles clenching. He could only stare at the scene, glaring at the unsuspecting 'couple' as InuYasha kissed Kagome and Naraku could barely hold back the growl in his throat.

That conniving bitch, he growled to himself, his manicured nails digging into the windowsill and leaving crescent shaped dents before the wood splintered and it broke; slivers tunneling into his flesh. If it were possible, he would have jumped from the window and gave both of them the thrashing of their pathetic lives, ending with InuYasha laying dead in the morgue, but he had to keep himself composed. Soon enough there would be a time wise enough to exact his revenge against InuYasha and boy would it be a sweet time for Naraku.

Pushing himself away from the wall and throwing the wood against the far side of the room, he calmly left his and Kagome's bedroom. He decided to wait for her, give her everything she could ever want and more and this was how she wanted to repay him? Naraku didn't think so, not this time, or ever.

The hall light was bright; however he just smiled maliciously as he dimmed it slowly until the light had been swallowed by the night. There was only so much that he asked of Kagome and now he knew that she no longer could be trusted by herself. He would have to show her the horrible error of her ways and this time hopefully she would learn. If Kagome didn't that was okay too because he would have the fun beating it into her thick skull. Women needed leashes and Naraku was brining in the choke chain.

Naraku calmed his rapidly beating heart and smoothed out the disgusted look from his face. Kagome was in for a rude awakening and he almost laughed. He stood next to the hallway, half of the wall hiding his body from view, but it wasn't like he was going to sneak up on her; that wasn't his style. If he didn't want Kagome to notice him, he had his ways to make it possible. He wasn't a fool.

Light crawled to him slowly as the door opened, Kagome's fresh scent filling his nose as a breeze brushed passed him. He felt his anger peak again, Kagome's black hair swaying as she dared to look at her so-called friend. She may not have known it, but she was only digging herself a deeper grave. Kagome was so close that he could be in front of her in less than a second, but he held his ground; barely.

He waited until he could hear InuYasha's car engine to expose himself to his fiancé and when he saw her fingers touch her lips he knew that she was just as guilty as her male companion; if not more. In those few scant seconds Naraku's rage boiled past the point of no return and his vision went red. Her cry was loud, the color draining from her cheeks and she knew that he knew about her rendezvous with InuYasha's lip. He could smell her instinctual fear.

The first thing he did after his fist hit her was smile; she hadn't been expecting it and she cowered in front of him. Hungrily he drank the fear she gave and he couldn't help but crave for more. Naraku was furious with Kagome's behavior and his fists flew powerfully, each time connecting with her soft skin. He couldn't stop the growl from his throat or the anger that spiked his punches and drove them harder, but with every cry and scream from her mouth it made him want to make her bleed. InuYasha wouldn't be able to protect her from him, the bronco's engine fading out of hearing range.

_**Do you feel like a man when you push her around?**_

_**Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?**_

_**Well I'll tell you my friend; one day this world's going to end**_

_**As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.**_

Naraku kicked Kagome in the ribs as she struggled to get to her feet, his hand twisting around her long hair and his fingers clawing into her scalp and roughly jerking her neck back hard enough to cause whiplash, but to him it didn't matter. Her pale face was scrunched up in pain and her mouth hanging open as she gasped desperately for air. He smiled at her pain, a thin trail of blood trickling down her swelling face. This was only the beginning for her and the gears in Naraku's mind were shifting and heading into a different direction.

Tears streamed down from her closed eyes and he felt his heart beginning to quicken again. His hand brushed against Kagome's collarbone and he felt the girl in front of him flinch away from his touch. Slowly he wrapped his fingers around her neck and pulled Kagome flush with his chest where he kneeled on the ground. He could feel her chest heaving and her muscles twitching and he felt his lower regions stir from the friction.

"I hope you learned your lesson Kagome," he whispered roughly in her ear as his hand traveled back down her body sliding underneath her already low cut shirt.

"I-I'm sorry," she hiccupped, her body trembling as Naraku's hand cupped her breast, pinching the nipple roughly through the lace of her bra.

Naraku rose to his feet, his hand still buried in her hair and she gasped as he dragged her down the hall. They both knew what was in store for her and Kagome shuddered; the pain making her go numb with a gentle throbbing as a reminder. She followed quickly behind him and when he released his hold on her hair, Kagome's gaze landed on the window curtains drawn back and her heart skipped a beat realizing that Naraku had seen her and InuYasha. He had seen the kiss.

"I hope he was worth the pain," Naraku hissed his eyes staring into her soul and his hands busy roughly undressing her.

His lips crashed over hers, his teeth smacking against hers and the only thing she could do was let him. Clothing was forgotten along with the knowledge of his explosive temper as his fingers roamed her naked flesh. He took her as hard as he had done after every punishment he delivered; his heat filling her and taking exactly what it wanted. Kagome gasped and bucked, her chest jutting out in the air as she rode him; his hands slamming her harder against him, driving him deeper into her and bruises forming on her hips with the roughness of his grasp.

He took her into his mouth, torturing her; nipping and biting on the tender flesh over her body and making her cry out in pain only adding more to his conviction and pleasure filled ego. His hips angled and driving her over the edge, Kagome's vision blurred and she could only feel him as he pounded into her before reaching his peak. Sweat slicked both of their bodies and dried in the cooling air, his heaving body rolling on top of hers trapping her between the mattress of their bed and him.

She could faintly hear his husky whispers into her ears, his large hands brushing away the hair from her face and placing chaste kisses on her neck. He said he loved her and even though it was against her better judgment, she believed him because she loved him.

The morning came and went with out Kagome and when she finally rolled over, the tenderness of her body making her hiss; the blinking red numbers on the alarm clock told her it was well after noon. Carefully she climbed out of the bed and walked to the bathroom, flicking on the light and gazing at herself through the mirror's reflection.

Her right eye was almost swollen shut and her lip was split down the middle. Her ribs ached as well as her lower region and she hesitated looking down at herself in fear of what she might see. It was like she had been in a car accident and brushing away the tear falling from her face, Kagome stepped into the shower and turned on the hot water.

There was no doubt in her mind that she wasn't going to have lunch with her parents like she had planned and she stood under the waterfall of hot water trying her hardest to think up an excuse that they would believe. Warmth spread throughout her body and dipping her head underneath the spray, she thought about her life.

She didn't know when Naraku had become so violent and even when she thought back to her high school years she knew that he had never once raised a hand to her. Then again, when she was younger life seemed to be perfect and not once did she ever think that she would wind up like she was now and she felt ashamed.

Sure she wasn't perfect but she didn't deserved to be beat, did she? Biting down on her lower lip as she washed herself she choked back a sob, she had to call InuYasha and tell him that she wouldn't be able to see him because she doubted she could just out of nowhere up and ignore him; she wasn't like that.

Things still had to be done around the house and with that in mind, Kagome turned off the water and grabbed the large towel from its rack before wrapping it loosely around her aching body. It wasn't like she really had a job so she couldn't blow off the housework like she wished she could. Bare feet trekked shag carpet and when she was finally dressed in a loose pale yellow flower print sundress she let a heavy sigh leave her chest. Nothing made sense anymore in her mind and she wondered silently if it ever would.

_**A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect**_

_**Every action in the world will bear a consequence**_

If you wade around forever you will surely drown 

_**I see what's going down**_

It didn't take as long as she expected to do the housework, dishes drying on the rack and laundry hanging outside drying with the fresh air. Soft music tickled her ears and Kagome found herself smiling as she put the vacuum back into the closet where it belonged. The only thing left to do was figure out what was for dinner and make it before Naraku came home from the office; he had made it a rule for dinner to be ready when he got home because he would not wait, but it wasn't like Kagome minded cooking.

Her lip itched with irritation and Kagome let out a heavy sigh going into the kitchen and putting hot water on the stove, she was beginning to feel like a slave in her own home and the weird thing was is that those thoughts never crossed her mind until this morning. Had she always been this submissive? Had she always done so much cleaning that she looked like Suzy homemaker? The answer was of course no, but things change and people don't stay the same so who was she to complain?

The whistling sound stole her attention and she pulled it from the stove, the tea would be ready and then she could relax until it was time to make dinner. Worrying on her lower lip Kagome searched the cabinets for a mug and she reached for it was the doorbell began to ring. Not sure of who it was, she put the mug down on the counter before backtracking to the front door. A small dent caught her attention and she flinched, the memory pulling at the back of her mind. It was a good thing she had cleaned up the blood first thing after she got out of the shower or else she would be regretting it now.

She didn't think to check to see who it was as she unlocked the door and opened it, the light flooding in and temporarily blinding her. Kagome blinked a few times, a pair of hands cupping her face and pulling her close, calloused thumbs brushing over the bruised flesh and Kagome flinched.

"He did this to you didn't he?" InuYasha's voice fluttered into her ears and she felt her heart sinking into her stomach.

She couldn't say the words that were bubbling against her throat, though she couldn't look at him either because she would see the disappointment and the shame in his eyes. She knew she would and she couldn't bare it. When his arms wrapped around her and held her close she felt a sob wrench itself out of her throat and InuYasha only held her closer to his chest.

"It's alright Kagome," he told her gently picking her up bridal style and carrying her inside the house away from prying eyes. The door closed behind them and he walked to the living room, setting Kagome down on the closest couch; she looked like she'd been to hell and back and guilt filled his chest.

Silent tears fell down her face and he put his fingers underneath Kagome's chin and forced her eyes to meet his and his heart skipped a beat gazing at the defeated look on her face. This wasn't his Kagome. Somehow the girl in front of him and the one he spent years pining after were two completely different people, but deep down in his heart he knew that it wasn't true and now his duty was to protect her. If he could do nothing else, he would protect Kagome with his life.

"I-InuYasha," his name sounded breathless against her lips and gooseflesh covered his body. "You shouldn't be here."

Her blue eyes were filled with pain, he could see it as plain as day and against his better judgment he wiped away her tears, his fingers brushing over her slightly parted lips. There were so many things that he wanted to say to her, so many things he wanted to do that he didn't know where to start.

"I had to be," he was captured by her beauty and the longing that escaped the night before was coming back tenfold his hand sliding back and holding her bruised face as gently as possible. "I wanted to be sure you were okay."

And alive. He didn't have to say it because it came out perfectly clear what he meant and Kagome's blue eyes closed, her fists clenching on her lap with irritation. She knew that InuYasha didn't like Naraku and hadn't since the first day that they met, but what could she do? She was only one person and couldn't change the opinions of her friends no matter how hard she tried.

"Please don't start InuYasha," she said rising to her feet and walking into the kitchen. "I can't take much more of this."

"Then leave him!" InuYasha was right behind her, his amber eyes staring heatedly at her and his hands wrapped around her shoulders pulling her against his firm chest. "Walk away from him Kagome, please."

InuYasha could feel her trembling underneath him and he buried his face into her ebony hair, holding her as close to him as it was possible; he didn't want to let her go. Her small hand reached up and gently touched his arm, electricity flickering into their bloodstreams; however, Kagome pulled his arm away and stepped away.

"I can't leave Naraku," her voice was small and her arms wrapped around herself as she spoke to him. "You know I can't."

"Why?" His hand grabbed her shoulder and forced her to meet his burning gaze, this was an endless game of cat and mouse. "Why Kagome because he loves you?"

His voice seeped with venom and Kagome's eyes narrowed angrily at his sarcastic remark. "He does love me!" She told him as a matter of fact, the uncertainty not being able to escape from her eyes and InuYasha noticed it. "I know he loves me InuYasha so don't you ever say different! We're getting married in June so why is it so hard for you to believe that someone loves me as much as I love them?"

"If all it takes for you to love someone is for them to leave bruises and split your lip that's some cruel form of love Kagome," he was yelling now, trapping her against a wall as she tried to back up. He would make her see that she was being stupid, she couldn't be right about everything because this would kill her; Naraku would kill her. "If Naraku loved you so much he wouldn't hit you! That's not how people show their love Kagome! Come on, you need to get your heart outta your ass and see the light!"

"How would you know what love is InuYasha?" She was yelling back and he watched her blue eyes shift to the light he remembered burned in them when they were younger. She was still with him. "You wouldn't know what love was unless it bit you in the ass!"

They were merely inches apart and he could feel her breath warming his flesh. He was losing control over himself and if he wasn't careful he would do something that he later would regret. But how could he help himself, Kagome was biting back with her razor sharp teeth and he felt the adrenaline rush throughout his body and he needed more. He wanted more and this time he would protect her from Naraku, InuYasha wouldn't let her be hurt anymore.

"Damn it Kagome!" He growled grabbing her arms and shaking her, carefully watching her as blue eyes went wide in what looked like fear. He didn't want her to fear him and any self-control he had broke. "I love you! Damn it why can't you stop trying to be right all the time?"

_**I see the way you go and say you're right again**_

_**Say you're right again**_

_**Heed my lecture**_

If her eyes could have gotten any wider, they did and her fingers clenched, pulling the fabric of InuYasha's shirt tighter in her grasp. Neither of them could believe what he said, but InuYasha didn't stay frozen for more than a few seconds before his lips were on Kagome's. It wasn't demanding like Naraku's, but soft and gentle; coaxing and she found herself lost in him as his hands slid around her waist and pulled her flush with his chest.

Her arms snaked around his neck and parted her lips as InuYasha's tongue probed her, setting a fire burning into her body and she could barely hold back the gasp as he gently devoured her. It was like nothing she had ever felt, the heat growing in her abdomen and spreading into her limbs and the need to taste him grew and Kagome could stop herself from moaning when his hands ran up her sides.

"InuYasha," her voice was raspy and lust lidded when she pulled away from the kiss and something inside of him snapped, his lips slamming down on her again, his hands cupping her face as he poured every last emotion possible into her. He didn't want to let her go and when he felt her melt he knew that he wouldn't have to.

They gave into their desires as hands roamed over clothed flesh and somehow they managed to make it to the bedroom, their lips never separating. Clothing was slowly pulled from aching muscles, InuYasha's pants dropping to his ankles and he heeled out of his shoes raining kisses over Kagome's face and neck; his teeth gently nipping at the exposed flesh. A few minutes felt like a lifetime, but neither cared as they fell onto the soft mattress, hands eagerly touching bare flesh and Kagome couldn't hold back the gasp as InuYasha touched her.

"It's okay Kagome," he whispered watching her lovingly with his amber eyes, his hair curtaining around them and his soft smile easing the trembling in her body. "I'll show you what love's supposed to be like. I'll show you everything that love's supposed to be."

Her dress was pulled over her head and tossed behind him as his lips claimed hers in a hungry kiss, her legs wrapping around him as he filled her. The hunger only grew as nails dug into his shoulders, muscles expanding and gasps of pleasure loud in their ears. InuYasha gave all of himself to Kagome, pushing himself father and showing her that there was more to love then a punch in a face and gently whispered words of endearment after a rough taking. Her body arched into his and he bit down on his lip, this was for her and he wouldn't ruin in.

Her body spasmed as it released Kagome from herself and she cried out as InuYasha's fingers took her again, his mouth nibbling on her breast and his hips filling her with warmth and happiness. She clung to him shifting herself and his moaned vibrated throughout her entire body and suddenly he was on her again. Fingers interlaced with each other as InuYasha worshiped Kagome, his tongue memorizing the inside of her mouth as his body arched, pushing her father over the edge than he thought was imaginable. They fell together, husky cries of jumbled names on their lips as they collapsed into a mass of flesh and hair.

InuYasha rested his head on Kagome's chest and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her heated flesh lightly as her fingers ran over his sweat-slicked form. Neither of them made any intention of moving and InuYasha listened to Kagome's beating heart trying to fight back the need to sleep, he wouldn't leave her yet.

"I love you Kagome,"

Neither of them paid attention to time as they laid in each other's company and they were content on doing so until Kagome roused from her state of half consciousness and pushed InuYasha from her, his eyes raising in question as she frantically jumped from the bed and skirted into the bathroom.

InuYasha lazily rose to his feet and followed after her, smiling when the door opened and the sound of running water assaulted his ears. He could see the steam billowing over the top and Kagome's soft mumbling under her breath and he wasted no time climbing into the shower behind her. A gasp of protest was his answer as he pinned her against the cool tile, his eyes burning amber and under the hot spray of the water, he took her again.

A few more hours passed by the two of them before Kagome insisted that he leave, there were things that she still needed to do and InuYasha wasn't willing to allow Naraku the satisfaction of beating Kagome into submission again. Not after InuYasha gave her all of himself and more, he would save her from the life that she didn't deserve and then Kagome could live her life the way she saw fit; as long as it wasn't married to Naraku that is.

His bronco was loud as he headed home, his cell phone placed carefully in his lap as he pushed the earpiece into his ear and said a name; the phone instantly dialing a number and he waited as it rang. Not getting an answer, InuYasha left a message on Miroku's voice mail and sighed; guess he would have to wait to see his friend about helping him with Kagome.

There was no way that he'd allow her stay in that house anymore and somehow he had managed to get her to agree leaving her fiancée. How he did it he didn't know, but the thought of her living on her own at the time was out of the question and the both of them knew it. It was later than he expected when he pulled into the apartment complex's parking lot, the sun already sinking in the east and allowing the shadows to come out and take over for the night.

He couldn't help the smile that found its way on his lips as he closed the door, pressing the alarm and listening to it's loud beep before heading towards his apartment. There was no doubt in his mind that Miroku and Koga (maybe even Sango) would somehow manage to wear out their welcome when they showed up later and he softly laughed thinking about the possible antics of his group of friends. Of course if Kagome were with them it would be better, but now was not the time to be thinking about that as he dug into his pockets searching for his house keys only to realize he still had them in his hand.

InuYasha laughed at himself and putting the key into the lock a shudder suddenly flew through his body and he knew that he wasn't alone. He felt whomever it was closing in and clenching his hands into fists, InuYasha swung around, his face scrunched in anger only to meet black eyes as a large object collided with his head. His body slammed against the spackled wall, his knees screaming in pain as the object smashed into them and he cried out falling unceremoniously to the ground as pain rained over his head.

Red washed over his vision and he couldn't dodge as it slammed against his head and InuYasha lost himself to the darkness that opened up around him and swallowed him whole.

_**Do you feel like a man when you push her around?**_

_**Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground? **_

_**Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end**_

_**As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.** _

The day had looked better than he imagined as he pulled away from the parking lot of his office, the wind blowing his hair as he sped down the busy road in his fast and expensive car. Kagome had learned her place and when he got home he would give her a little treat for her obedience. Yes, things were looking better and the grin on his face grew wider.

Business was always slow but this day it had been eventful as the folder in the passenger seat reminded him of the now washed out business of his competition. He hadn't been expecting bankruptcy per say, but now that he was able to expand his territory there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Plans were forming in his mind as he turned a corner, his onyx eyes sparkling with delight at the possibilities that were now possible. With the company quickly rising to the top he would be able to buy a better place closer to the city, and away from all of her nosey friends. It would be easier for the both of them if they just packed up and moved away from all the problems in their lives, together, that is and the very thought made his blood burn in only the way that Kagome could quench.

Highways and freeways never bothered him, but he decided to go the route of surface streets so he could get home faster and tell Kagome of this surprising and celebration worthy event. What's a little champagne and strawberries with crème when the night would pass by slowly if he had his way? This would be a night that neither of them would forget, he was going to make sue of that and he felt his pants tighten with the very thought of what was to come.

He turned down his street an hour later, four hours earlier than he would normally if he hadn't decided to leave early. This was a day for surprises, he told himself, and the more the merrier. Well that was, until he saw InuYasha's bronco parked out of the street and Naraku almost hit the breaks as he felt his temper rising. These surprises, of course, were unwanted and Naraku parked a few houses down and climbed out of his car; hiding it behind a large pickup truck.

Kagome knew better than to have guests over when he wasn't home; especially the kind named InuYasha and he walked to his house like a predator on the hunt. If anything was going on it would be her head and he slowly entered the quiet house as if he were sneaking in from being out too late on a school night. His Italian loafers squeaked and he heeled out of them near the door, he wanted to see everything with his own eyes and then make assessments on what was going to be done about disobedience.

With every opening he peeked a glance and when he found nothing in the kitchen or the living room he could feel a migraine rearing its ugly head. His fists clenched at his side as he turned down the hallway to his bedroom, the door slightly open and begging him to come inspect. And he did. His white collared shirt was almost glowing from the darkness of the hallway and when he pushed the door open with an assassin's ease.

What he saw almost made him lose control but somehow he managed to stay rooted to his spot. Silver hair obscured his vision, but he didn't need eyes to know what was going on right in front of him. Their moans echoed into his ears as he watched Kagome's naked flesh arch into InuYasha's body with a slut's wanton lust. He wanted to growl but he refrained from doing so spying his fiancée's hand wrapped in InuYasha's and he realized that surprises weren't always the good kind and this wouldn't go unnoticed.

Naraku stood there in the doorway until Kagome and InuYasha were spent and his sensitive ears picked up the white-haired hoodlum's love confession and it made him sick. Not being able to watch any long, Naraku spun on his heels and trekked back down the hall as silently as he could. This betrayal would be allowed with out some kind of retribution and opening up the hall closet, Naraku spotted the aluminum bat lying against the wall.

It was calling to him and his pale hand reached out and snagged it before he closed the door and headed back to the door. This wasn't over and Naraku pulled on his shoes as he left the house, locking the door behind him and heading back to his car. He would have to teach InuYasha not to touch what didn't belong to him, and this time Naraku wasn't going to hold back because of Kagome's sake.

He had seen where her loyalties laid as she let that trash touch her and he knew what kind of punishment would make her understand her place in life. Naraku didn't let the engine roar to life like he normally would because then they would have known that he was there and his lips curved into a smile. Surprises weren't always good were they?

It took him a while to remember where exactly InuYasha lived, but as he drove down the neighborhood he recognized it and calmly pulled in across the street from the complex. He didn't bother setting the alarm as he pulled the bat from the passenger's side; the hoodlums and thieves in this area would no better than to touch anything of his and after tonight, InuYasha would know too.

He waited maybe an hour, maybe less, but it wasn't long until he heard InuYasha's truck pulling in and his grin was filled with excitement. Sure he had beaten up his fair share of people in bars and maybe a few fist fights in high school and what not, but never before had he taken the pleasure of knowing he wouldn't leave until he got his point across.

InuYasha walked past him a moment later and waiting a few feet, Naraku rose to his and followed his fiancée's best friend like a lion stalks it prey. He was careful not to make a sound, his hand clenching around the handle of the bat in his hand. This time InuYasha wouldn't escape and there would be no witnesses pinning Naraku with anything because as far as anyone was concerned, he wasn't there.

The laugh that came from InuYasha only added fuel to Naraku's fire as the silver haired boy unknowingly cornered himself, digging for keys that Naraku knew wouldn't be able to unlock the door they approached. InuYasha went stiff and Naraku knew that the boy in front of him finally figured out that he was being stalked. Too bad that he didn't had enough to fight back as Naraku readied himself, the bat arching over his shoulder as he swung at the turning InuYasha.

Metal collided with bone and made a light ding sound and Naraku laughed watching InuYasha falling to the wall before he swung again at the boy's knees; another ping and a crack echoing in his ears as InuYasha cried out in pain. It was music to his ears and Naraku admitted to himself that hitting the boy in front of him felt a hell of a lot better than it did hitting Kagome and he laughed as he swung again.

He knew that he would have to pull the swings as not to kill InuYasha since that would only bring attention to him and he didn't need a death on his hands. No, not when things were looking so much brighter for him, but he couldn't help himself as he beat InuYasha into unconsciousness.

Blood was everywhere, its bright red color dripping from the bat as Naraku stared down at his fiancée's companion. He wouldn't call the cops because that was giving mercy and Naraku wasn't the kind to give mercy to his enemies. Grabbing the front of InuYasha's shirt, he wiped the blood from the bat before slamming him against the wall and watching the boy fall to a heap of flesh.

InuYasha would be lucky if he ever left the hospital, Naraku mused to himself staring into the unseeing eyes of amber and he spat on the boy before turning his heels and walking away leaving him for dead. If InuYasha wanted to be saved then he had better hope that some one came to him because that would be the only way he could live to see another day. Naraku knew that the boy wouldn't live through the night if he stayed the way he was.

Street kids swarmed around his car like locust and they looked at him with awe as he came closer, the bat held firmly in his grasp. His smile was conniving but before the street kids could run away, Naraku handed them the bat and flashed them a toothy grin before climbing into his car and driving away. No evidence, then there was no pinpointing him and then everything would be okay… They couldn't arrest him if there was no evidence making him guilty because now those children were holding the blame. He had passed the torch of responsibility onto them.

The drive back was long and uneventful and when he pulled into his garage he could already smell the delicious scent of dinner in the oven. Kagome would never know what hit her and he smiled grabbing his briefcase and jacket from the passenger's side. The garage door closed cutting off the light and he dropped his jacket in the laundry basket as he opened the door, the smell assaulting him and making his stomach grumble.

Kagome's yellow sundress fluttered as she turned to him, her blue eyes sparkling as she padded barefoot across tile floor and greeted him with a chaste kiss to the lips. Her hair smelled of soap and was damp to the touch and he welcomed her into his arms, his mouth covering hers and kissing her more fully than she had intended. She laughed hesitantly as he pulled away, his eyes watching her with a hawk's look and he unbuttoned his white collared shirt before handing it to her.

"I need my suits washed tonight Kagome," he told her sitting down at the table in a gentle yet cold voice that made her stop in her tracks.

"Oh okay," she smiled despite the growing fear in her stomach and headed out into the garage where he would have undoubtedly have left his jacket.

"After dinner Kagome," she wanted to smack herself in the forehead, but refrained from doing so as she closed the door in front of her and laughed.

She left his shirt on the counter but noticed the dots of red dancing down the front and the sleeves. Ketchup maybe? Brushing the thoughts from her mind she sat down across from Naraku and smiled as his hand found hers and squeezed them with a warm ease. Yes, something was going on and it tugged at the back of her mind as she placed a spoonful of food in her mouth.

His behavior was almost different and after dinner he persuaded her into the living room where he told her about moving and she felt her heart skip a beat. Moving away? When did this decision come around and why wasn't she consulted? Of course she couldn't ask, she merely nodded as he kissed her forehead before declaring that a shower was in need and leaving her alone with her own thoughts.

Gathering up the rest of his laundry after putting away the leftovers, Kagome started on a load of his nice dress shirts, the white one he had worn earlier clutched in her hand as she stared at the now pink splotches. It didn't smell like ketchup and it wasn't any kind of make up, so what was it? Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as she stared at the clock, reminding herself that in a half hour it would be nine thirty.

How the time had slipped away from her was beyond her and setting the white shirt down she wandered back into the kitchen looking around for the club soda. Her mother had told her when she was younger about the wonders of club soda and stains and she would later in life thank that knowledge that saved a lot of her clothes from bloodstains.

Bloodstains, the word stuck in her mind as she grabbed the bottle from the cabinet and headed back only to be distracted by the loud ringing of the phone. Yelling at nobody in particular that she would answer it, Kagome picked up the cordless phone before pressing the button and heading back out to the garage.

"This is Kagome," she said softly spreading out Naraku's stained shirt and picking up a rag that could be used to blot the shirt.

"Kagome, it's Miroku." His voice sounded distant and emotion filled and she frowned as she cleaned the shirt.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked lightly. "Are you okay? You sound upset, what's wrong?"

"Kagome," Miroku hesitated for a moment and Kagome felt her heart beginning to pound in her chest. "It's InuYasha—"

"What's wrong with him I just saw him a few hours ago?" Her heart was sinking into her stomach, something was wrong.

"He's in the hospital," the words came out clearly and Kagome's blood ran cold. "Kagome, Koga, Sango and I found him at his apartment almost beaten to death. I—"

Bloodstains? The bottle of club soda slipped from her hands and went crashing to the ground and she couldn't breathe. Naraku – they were bloodstains on his shirt and InuYasha was in the hospital. Her world came crumbling down as Miroku told her which hospital they were at and hung up.

She didn't bother cleaning up her mess as she scrambled for the car keys and she didn't look back as she left. It didn't occur to her at the time to put shoes on or sunglasses to hide the swelling of her eye, the only thing she could think about was InuYasha and if he was okay. Panic and fear filled her and she barely paid attention to the cars around her, she needed to get to the hospital and see him again because if she didn't she wouldn't be able to stand herself.

Her instincts screamed and when she reached the hospital she pulled the keys from the ignition and ran as fast as she could into the opening glass doors. She looked like a wild animal but she didn't care, her sundress fluttering as she swung her head around looking for anyone she might recognize. A hand grabbed her shoulders and she cried out flinging around to see electric blue eyes and black hair; Koga looked like a mess and she clung to him as he walked her to the emergency room where she knew InuYasha would be waiting for her to jump out and say "just kidding".

Kagome realized that she wasn't wearing any shoes but it didn't matter as she watched a tear stained Sango exit a room and look at her with sullen brown eyes and Kagome almost lost it. She didn't want to go inside and see InuYasha, not if he was as bad as she thought he might be. She didn't want to see him when he wasn't strong, or laughing with the twinkling in his amber eyes. She wanted to see the InuYasha, as he had been when he was caressing her and holding her close as he told her he loved her.

Because she loved him too, she knew she did and it tore her apart standing at the doorway. Closing her eyes tightly as she was lead into the room, she could feel the pounding of her heart in her ears as she touched the metal of the hospital bed. It was now or never and reaching for him, she clasped her hand in his and opened her eyes.

She didn't recognize the scream that fell from her throat as she stared at her battered friend and arms and hands reached out for her as she coiled back, her knees buckling and she cried into Miroku's firm chest. She cried because she had nothing left to do, she cried because she knew exactly how InuYasha wound up in a hospital. It was because of her, and Naraku had retaliated. It was all her fault and it broke her.

_**Face down in the dirt, she said,**_

_**This doesn't hurt, she said,**_

_**I've finally had enough.**_

**_E/N: _**Well this turned out to be a lot bigger than I originally thought it would be, but I'm loving the direction it's going. I'll have the second half of this story as soon as I can. I hope that you've enjoyed it so far!

-Krystal-


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own anything here besides the plot…. **

_Wow, almost been two years since this story original went up and I feel horrible about not getting this up sooner. I've had a lot of writers block with this story, I even lost the loose leaf papers I had for this, but a couple months ago I found them and put it all on my little attachable drive, can't remember the real name for it anymore… _

_Well, I hope you enjoy the rest of this story because I know I enjoyed the craziness that ensued writing it! _

_**"Face Down"**_

_By Miztikal-Dragon_

**PART TWO**

Days flew by like passing minutes and all Kagome could do was sit there on an uncomfortable plastic chair with her hands tightly clasped in her lap and watch the seemingly asleep boy in front of her. Dry tracks of tears cried made a trail from her eyes, but she made no move to wipe the salty residue from her face. How did things end up this bad? She asked herself, her eyes watching the man lying in the hospital bed. InuYasha had always been a strong person, he always had a clear head on his shoulders and now he was covered in bandages.

Those white bandages, that seemed to glow underneath the fluorescent lighting off setting the crème white of the room wall. The smell of sanitation irritated her nose making it itch and she sniffled fighting hard to keep the depressing thoughts from her mind. They had seen the marks on her face, the swelling of her eye and both Sango and Koga had to be restrained in order to keep them from marching out of the hospital and hunting down Naraku; they knew it was her fiancée's fault.

Kagome knew it too, she could feel it in her bones and it made the guilt pull at her heartstrings and making it harder for her to breathe. It killed her to think that Naraku was capable of hurting InuYasha; however, she knew that she should have known better. If her fiancée was capable of hurting her, who's to say that he wouldn't go after her closest friend? After all, it wasn't an unknown truth that the two males disliked each other, but Kagome just didn't want to think about the possibilities.

She reached for the pale hand on the hospital bed and held it against her cheek trying to hold back the emotions trying to force their way to the surface. Kagome wasn't sure exactly how much longer she could keep herself together. It wasn't fair, she told herself cradling InuYasha's limp hand closer to herself; needing to try and chase away the coldness creeping into both their bodies. He didn't deserve to be in a hospital bed, the bandages around his silver hair staining pink from the blood and stitches above his left brow. The way his tanned skin was now pasty and pale making her wish that she had told him to stay a little longer or that she had given into his pleas of leaving Naraku sooner. This was all her fault.

The door opened behind her and Kagome ignored the nurse as he came in and checked on InuYasha and the urge to cry was bearing down on her. She struggled to keep her nerves calm and a hand touched her shoulder and Kagome closed her eyes feeling the warm moisture burning them. Miroku's gentle voice swept through her ears and she bit back a sob when he kneeled next to her, his indigo eyes filled with concern and knowing.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she knew he was right, but she couldn't keep the helplessness from showing on her face. "He's a trooper Kagome, and before you know it he'll be yelling at the nurses for more Jell-O."

His words forced laughter from her throat and his thumbs brushed over her cheeks wiping away the tears that spilled from her eyes. Sometimes she didn't know where she'd be without the perverted boy at her side. He didn't judge her or get angry when he saw the bruises and cuts on her face or the fact that she was without shoes or socks. Miroku merely nodded his head and opened his arms to her and held her as she fell apart; bringing flip flops for her to wear and something hot to eat and cold to drink. Miroku was like the father she missed so desperately and the older brother that helped her stand when she fell.

"I know Miroku," she told him, her voice shaking slightly. "I'm just- I'm sorry I didn't mean—"

The front on Miroku's face stole the words she was going to say from her lips and his hands held her face, forcing her to look at him as he glared at her. The sudden silence besides the constant beeping of the machines in the room unsettled Kagome and he made her more nervous than she had been in a while. A large lump formed in her throat and after trying unsuccessfully to swallow it, Kagome gave up allowing her tongue to slightly swell with unease. She didn't like this feeling, not one bit.

"I don't ever want to hear you try and blame yourself for what happened to InuYasha!" Miroku's voice was commanding and Kagome was taken back by the harsh tone. "It's not your fault, never was or will be. So don't you ever say it again!"

The only thing she could do was nod and she listened to the heavy sigh that escaped Miroku's lips as he released her face. He suddenly looked a lot older than he was and Kagome reached out to him, embracing Miroku and running her hands up and down his back in a friendly gesture. None of them had much sleep and it was taking it toll. Kagome and Miroku held each other for a while longer, Koga and Sango joining in the group hug (Sango being more or less trapped into it by the look on Miroku's face) and the depressed and melancholy mood of the small room lightened. Even if it was a little change, all four of them were grateful for it because it felt like a small weight had been lifted from their chests.

Time seemed to pass by Kagome even slower than before as she sat in her plastic chair watching InuYasha in the dark. Sure it would have been easier to see him with a light on, but the brightness hurt her tired eyes and all she wanted to do was sleep for the rest of her life if InuYasha was okay. If he woke up and smiled at her one more time she would be set for the rest of her life; if only he'd give her the one thing she wished for.

Getting to her feet, Kagome stretched her stiff muscles and rubbed her eyes trying to push back the exhaustion she felt in her bones. The moonlight drifted in from the window where Miroku had pulled back the curtains before he left, the gang having gone home earlier to get sleep so they could continue working. Unlike Kagome who currently didn't have a job to be worried about, and silently she was thankful for the lack of it. There were still so many things that still needed to be done and Kagome knew that ignoring them wouldn't make it go away, but she couldn't stop herself from praying that it would.

How much longer would it be until Naraku was fed up by her disappearance and start hunting her down, if he wasn't already? The thought brought goose pimples to her entire body and Kagome wrapped her arms tightly around herself. A week, it had been just about an entire week now since the call from Miroku and to say she wasn't worried and scared about the possible repercussions for her actions would be a lie. She didn't understand how Naraku's mind worked, but she did know that he was probably more than angry with her.

Then why didn't he come and 'fetch' her if he was so mad? Things weren't adding up and Kagome couldn't help but feel the tension and apprehension in her heart grow. It would be only a matter of time before Naraku came to see her, they were engaged after all and things had to be packed up for the move.

The move, her mind repeated as her fingertips brushed the long strands of silver hair from InuYasha's peacefully sleeping face. His skin was cool to the touch and she sighed heavily letting a small smile grace her lips.

The large rock on her finger would have to be taken off sooner or later and Kagome had to find the strength to let go. She loved Naraku, she could feel it, but it was no longer as strong as it once was; the love wasn't the same anymore. There was only so much that her heart could take and the attack on InuYasha was the straw that broke the camels back. It was time for her to move on and Kagome had an overwhelming feeling that her future wasn't with Naraku because there now was an entirely different pull on her heart. One that had become stronger since the innocent kiss she shared with InuYasha.

Kagome's heart pounded in her chest, brushing her fingers across his slightly parted lips, she didn't realize how much she loved the man in front of her until it was practically too late and it almost killed her. But now she knew that she couldn't let him go. Maybe she wasn't thinking clearly, she couldn't be too sure about anything anymore; however, she had to trust her instincts because it was the only thing she had left of herself.

There were things that she wanted to say, but she didn't know how to say it. How could she rely on InuYasha to help her when she couldn't help herself? If she wanted to become her own person again she first had to find what she really wanted and become stronger so she could pursue it without too many setbacks. Tearing those thoughts from her mind, Kagome tried keeping herself optimistic, things would be dealt with later.

"Kagome-" his voice was low and raspy and it made her jump slightly.

"I-InuYasha?" her gaze met with half lidded eyes and she felt her heart jump into her throat. "Oh my god, you're awake!"

His snort brought tears to her eyes and his irritated gaze made the butterflies flutter in her stomach as a nervous and watery laugh left her mouth. "I've only been calling your name for a few minutes, jeez learn to pay attention."

"I'm sorry," her laughter shook as more tears fell and her vision swam as she covered her eyes to catch the falling droplets.

Relief was flooding through her veins and she felt the adrenaline and strength abandoning her body and leaving her feeling small and weak. It didn't matter though as she slumped back into the chair she'd spent hours sitting in, InuYasha came back to her and the emptiness was fading from the shadows of her mind. Sobs wracked her body and she tried holding it back but it seemed hopeless, even as she listened to InuYasha moving on his hospital bed.

His fingers curled around her hair, tugging it until Kagome lifted her tear stained face to look at him. "It's okay Kagome," he told her touching her face. "Come here, it's okay."

He didn't have to say it twice. Kagome slowly rose to her feet and climbed onto the bed with him, his hands reaching for her and pulling her to him desperately. He couldn't stand to see her cry and held her against his chest listening to her, hushed whispers floating into her ear and trying to calm her tears. Breathing was a little harder for him with Kagome's dead wait resting on him, but InuYasha squared his shoulders and simply held onto her.

Kagome's sobs turned to hiccups sooner than he thought they would and he let out a quiet sigh listening to her breathing evening out as exhaustion claimed her. InuYasha's muscles were stiff and he could feel the sleep tugging at his eyelids and he fought back the need to sleep. He knew he'd been asleep for a while, it was like a gentle prodding in the back of his mind and the need to get answers won over sleep.

Laying in the darkness with Kagome sleeping in his arms warmed his heart and he brushed his parched lips over her brow, smiling as she sighed softly, her fingers holding the hospital gown he was wearing tighter. There were so many different emotions running through his mind, but he couldn't stop the long forgotten happiness from bubbling a soft smile to his face.

InuYasha was lost in thought when a nurse came in and his brows scrunched together when he fully realized his situation. There were bandages wrapped around his forehead and chest, long white bandages that hid yellow healing skin or surgical stitch marks that kept parts of him together. Thick, concrete hard like binding was on his left leg, which he was reminded, was a cast and another one on his right hand protecting broken bones. The nurse explained the broken bones and stitches and what operations which had taken place leaving him temporarily in shock.

It was an open investigation? He couldn't believe those words or that now he was awake, police officers would be coming around to ask questions so they could finish up their police reports. Words flew by him like calculated math problems and he found himself exhausted after the nurse smiled gently refilling the plastic jug that Kagome had been using to keep herself hydrated.

_**Face down in the dirt, she said, **_

_**This doesn't hurt, she said,**_

_**I've finally had enough. **_

InuYasha was in the hospital for a total of three weeks, three long and agonizingly boring weeks and when the doctor said it was allowed for him to leave, he jumped at the first chance he got to sign the discharge paperwork. There were stipulations to the discharge, strict conditions that were ordered to be followed to the 'T' and as a wheel chair was fetched they were agreed to without hesitation.

It was impossible for InuYasha to go back to his apartment with all the police and caution tape, it sounded less appealing; not to mention the fact that it definitely wasn't a safe place to be. Everyone knew who's attacked InuYasha, it was only that they had to prove it and by the looks of it there was no evidence to convict. Of course eye witnesses had seen an expensive car and an equally expensive looking man waiting; although, two and two were never able to be put together to make four, at least not this time.

Naraku was a slippery eel and though nobody in the law enforcement department could lay a finger on him it didn't mean that they couldn't watch him closely. However no matter how informed the investigators seemed to be, Naraku was always several steps ahead of the game, slyly dodging the blame and long arm of the law with every twist and turn. There was only so much that could be done and when it began to run dry, so did the investigation.

While InuYasha had been hospitalized it was Kagome who rarely ever left his side, her sad eyes watching him and though he always wished her eyes were only his it was heart wrenching catching a glimpse of her because he knew she blamed herself for his state. And if he wasn't as crazy about her as he was the blame would have floated to her. It could have been avoided, though InuYasha wouldn't' have changed anything. Kagome was realizing things about Naraku that she should have opened her eyes to earlier, but then again, she thought it was love and that was a crazy ride all on its own.

Love could do crazy things, could make people do things they would have never thought to do before and it was Kagome's love for InuYasha that helped her find the strength to pick up the broken pieces of her life and start over. Miroku and Sango had gone with her for moral support when Kagome left Naraku, they kept her safe as his angry eyes glared daggers at her, promising retribution and she was able to walk out unharmed and that had been a first.

Kagome's new found freedom was exhilarating--even more so when a judge granted her the restraining order against Naraku she'd been desperately fighting for and it was as though her life had made a one-eight of what it had been. The celebration had been huge, the small gathering of friends at InuYasha and Kagome's new apartment and if it were possible the party would have never ended.

Neither of them thought it would be easy transitioning into a new apartment, living with their conflicting personalities, though Kagome was surprised at how easy it was. Being with InuYasha was almost easier than breathing, his smiles were contagious, his frustration almost comical and it wasn't long until they fell into a comfortable routine.

She was even able to find a job at a near by restaurant as a hostess --- sometimes waitress and the scheduled hours were flexible around InuYasha's physical therapy and many doctors visits. Of course her silver hair companion fought her mothering him, his grumbles and often squawking about being a capable adult falling on deaf ears. He didn't complain too much though because he liked the attention that Kagome gave him while she pretending to be a mother hen; her watchful eyes never too far away.

InuYasha could have taken advantage of Kagome's kindness and several times he had, once pretending he had an itch he couldn't reach and waiting until Kagome was close enough to snatch up. For someone with a broken leg he was quick on his feet, catching Kagome off guard as she walked by, or trapping her against a wall his mouth devouring hers with urgency and need.

He didn't need to steal kisses from Kagome, she would have given them up without even thinking of a fight, but he loved the way her eyes would widen then glass over, her lower lip trembling just so and the way he could practically feel her heart thundering away in her chest before the electricity shocked her veins and the need for his touch became too much for her to handle.

Yes, life with Kagome was like a dream come true, one that InuYasha hadn't thought to allow himself. InuYasha realized that even after death (figuratively speaking that is), life went on and he was eager to see what his new life with Kagome had in store for him. Together they lived in harmony and all was quiet for six months.

Kagome didn't think that Naraku would have waited long to get back at her, not with the way she left him, though when she was safe behind her friends and a court order, she didn't think Naraku would come around. After all he was an intelligent and successful man and she honestly thought he knew how to let go.

Apparently she had no idea of who Naraku was beneath his well placed mask. Instead of getting on with his life and calling the failed relationship a loss, he dwelled on it. His hatred for InuYasha taking what was his fuel for revenge and the calm collected man Naraku had fooled everyone died after being given Kagome's restraining order.

She was stupid to think that a measly piece of paper could dictate what he did! Naraku bowed to no man, so the thought of bowing to a woman was like talk of suicide. Oh, he had plans for Kagome, big plans -- she couldn't simply decide that she didn't want to be with him anymore and walk away. Nobody walked away from him unscathed, definitely not a back-stabbing whore like Kagome -- no, definitely not her or her pathetic mongrel.

Sure bashing in InuYasha's head with a baseball bat had been pleasing, hell it made his blood boil in a way that was almost sexually gratifying and just thinking about it had dark thoughts swimming in his mind. Naraku wanted to watch the face Kagome would make as he broke all of her allusions of happiness, he wanted to beat her into submission. Beat her until her chest was forever still and the thought brought a sick smile to his beautiful face.

People like Kagome and InuYasha were only as happy as they were when they were blind to their imminent demise. People like them didn't have long lasting happiness, they had a temporary break from the hurt and pain until it was time to relapse like a homeless drug addict and their time together was limited and being watched.

_**One day she will tell you that she has had enough **_

_**Its coming round again**_

Naraku shifted the newspaper in front of him, turning to the next page only he wasn't reading about teen drivers or how his favorite team had lost again, losing him a few hundred dollars he'd bet on them. No, he was watching Kagome instead as she smiled care freely, her long legs gliding on the floor as she guided a couple to their table. He'd been watching her for weeks now, if not months and her naivety had him smiling in a sadistic way.

Just because she thought she was in the clear after laying low for a while she was in for a rude awakening. Naraku knew where she was from the moment she left the hospital with the bruised and broken InuYasha and he had been keeping close tabs on her ever since.

Her time was slowly ticking down to zero, soon it would be up and Naraku was going to have fun waking Kagome from her dream and drag her back into reality. Taking a small sip from the half-full glass of iced tea, he flipped the page to the next page in the newspaper in front of him; he would be waiting patiently and Kagome would be his once again. It seemed like his work was never done, there was always something to do, something to fix, yet he didn't mind it at all.

The thought of getting closer to her was overpowering and he was losing the battle against it. He wanted her, wanted to break her all over again since it looked as though he hadn't done it correctly the first time around. The excitement was growing in him, filling him with a child-like giddiness and as he rose the loud ringing of his cell phone snapped him back into reality.

His cover was blown! Pulling the electronic device from his slacks, Naraku answered it while walking away from h is seat. Kagome would have recognized the ring tone and despite the need growing in the back of his mind, it wouldn't bode well if she saw him now. No - they would have their reunion and he wasn't going to let anything jeopardize it for him, not even himself.

Barking a few short orders into his cell phone, he ended the call before climbing inside his expensive corvette. Things were falling into place now and it would only be a matter of days until InuYasha was finally out of the picture. This time Kagome wouldn't be able to have any friends, he wasn't going to give her a choice or chance to betray him again. Revving the engine to his vehicle Naraku glanced at his rear-view mirror and laughed, he had to go see a man about a gun.

_**Do you feel like a man when you push her around?**_

_**Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?**_

_**Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end**_

_**As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found. **_

Naraku was there, she knew he was and her eyes darted suspiciously at everything around her as she continued working. She'd heard the ring tone-- the one that he had commented once to paying the 'big bucks' for, one that there would never be any other copy released. It had come out of nowhere and it froze her entire body and if she had been anywhere else besides work she would have immediately gone into hiding and cried.

She hadn't been able to breathe, to move, all she could do was stand there like a deer in the headlights as everything crashed over her. Of course when she was brought back to reality he was nowhere around, and though it did nothing to alleviate the pain clutching her chest, she did the only thing she thought of, she went back to work and pretended like it never happened. However, now that she was safely protected behind the deadbolts and chains of her apartment door she knew that it was okay.

Her body slid to the floor as her knees buckled and she didn't have to worry about any strangers watching her breakdown or any coworkers to start questioning her sanity-- she did that all on her own. No, she was in the comforts of her own home, away from all prying eyes and she curled herself into a tight ball, her hands clutching her toes as she rocked hypnotically wishing for the wooden floor underneath her to take pity on her and swallow her into its darkness.

"Kagome?" She recognized his voice and she needed him, but she couldn't stop, she couldn't breathe.

InuYasha had watched Kagome come home in the usual fashion, her careful, calculated way and on days like these it made him smile. Her hair twirled around her as she locked the door behind her, her hand resting on the chain after latching it like the piece of protective metal was her best friend, her rescuer. Sure it was just her being paranoid, but he admitted that it was a touch of paranoia that they both needed to stabilize them.

Her keys clinked as they fell into the ceramic dish they kept and next he told himself would be the sounds of her kicking off her shoes and her overdramatic sigh and bubbly laughter before she called after him. Only those three things didn't come and he knew it because he strained his ears as the seconds turned to minutes and he was greeted by nothing other than silence.

Silence was something he had grown accustomed to while growing up, it was what he leaned on during his teen years as he tried desperately to find himself and it was his only welcomed companion while he pined pathetically after Kagome once he realized exactly where his feelings for her were laying dormant.

"Kagome?" He called out from his spot in the kitchen, the small pot filled partway with water, the unopened package of Ramen on the counter. "Hey, I'm in here."

Nothing came back, not even a peep and his thick brows furrowed in confusion. Maybe she hadn't heard him, or maybe she had been listening to one of those MP3 players Miroku has been gushing and chiming about for the last couple of weeks. That was plausible, he told himself, yet the voice in the back of his head did nothing to quell the bad thoughts peeking out from the dusky shadows of his subconscious. Maybe something was wrong.

"Kagome?" He called again heading towards the door. InuYasha wanted to believe he was the one being paranoid this time, but he didn't want someone to piss on his boots and tell him it was rain, so he wasn't going to try to lie to himself either.

She was curled up in herself against the door like a lost child, her long ebony hair curtaining around her and hiding her face from his view. He called out to her, his stomach dropping to his feet and he immediately knew that it had been a bad day. As gently as he could, InuYasha kneeled next to her slightly rocking form and let his fingers brush away her hair. He wanted to hold her against his chest and never let go; however, after he tried that once before she flinched away and it spurred more problems than good.

Instead he just sat next to her, his head resting on her shoulder and his hand next to her thigh letting her find the words and giving her the time she needed to say them. No pressure, no games, and rules were only guidelines that were suggested. Kagome was never gone for too long and InuYasha didn't want to pry and risk pushing away. He needed her too much. All he could do was take loud, deep even breaths and hope that she'd come back to him from where she was, hope that she still was herself and not the stranger she'd once been.

"InuYasha?" She whispered to him brokenly after what felt to him like an eternity.

"Hmmm?" He lifted his head from her shoulder and watched her, waiting for her to come out from behind the shield her hair had become.

She wasn't rocking but her muscles were tense and whatever was making her behave like this, he wanted to take it from her, even if for only a little while. "This is real right?"

He wanted to laugh though due to the absurdity of her question, though decided against it in favor of a small smile as Kagome's wide eyes peeked out from the long onyx strands of hair.

"Of course this is real Kagome," he told her pulling the stray strands behind her ears. She looked so frightened and he wished he knew what happened. "It's real, more real than anything's ever been. I'll protect you."

Her head lifted off her knees and those wide, terrified eyes judged his words with a fine-tooth comb, trying to decipher if it was as real as he was claiming. He held his breath and silently waited for her to let everything sink in, it was killing him to watch her this way. Tears suddenly surfaced, threatening to fall and InuYasha wasted no time gathering Kagome into his arms and almost crushing her to him. Her nails clawed at him, digging into his skin and though it wasn't the best of times, it made him feel breathless.

"I keep hearing him," Kagome choked out behind a sob, the cold droplets of her tears tickling his shoulder. "I can feel his eyes InuYasha, and today--today I could have sworn he was at my work."

They had had this conversation several times before, and as of lately it had been increasing. InuYasha wanted desperately to tell her that she was just too stressed out, that Naraku was long gone, but the truth was that he honestly didn't know. It was possible she was right, Naraku had his ways, had his own underground network of knowledge, yet there was nothing InuYasha could do except follow the law and try protecting Kagome the only way that would keep her alive longer.

"I don't want to die," Kagome's words were like the backlash of a whip and he flinched away from her.

How could she even think that he'd let anything like that happen to her? She made him tremble with budding anger and shame; how could she not trust him with her life? "You won't die."

"InuYasha--"

"NO!" He growled grabbing her arms and shaking her softly. "Don't you ever talk like that Kagome--" he wanted to yell and scream but he couldn't, he just couldn't. "Don't you ever think for even a second that I won't be there to protect you! I won't let you die under any circumstances. Do you understand me?"

"I--can't,"

"God dammit Kagome!" He growled loudly rushing to feet. He wanted to rip out his hair and he settle for fisting his hands on his temples and growling as the anger welled up. "Stop thinking about him and just trust me for one fucking second. You're driving me absolutely fucking crazy!"

"Where are you going?" She was yelling back at him as he grabbed his coat and he brushed her words off his shoulders like lint. "InuYasha!"

"OUT!"

The door slammed shut behind him and he didn't spare it a glance as he hurried away from the apartment. He needed to scream, to punch someone or something--he needed a cigarette (or an entire pack), a drink, and cold refreshing air. He needed it all, craved for it like it wasn't anyone's business; although he settled for just the fresh air and a long smoke as he tried to calm his thoughts. He wasn't really mad at Kagome, nothing was her fault, it was merely the situation they were in that frustrated him so. The utter feeling of hopelessness and being powerless was beginning to get his goad.

InuYasha knew that they had to get away, the two of them, if they wanted to keep what was left of their sanity, but it wasn't like they could simply pack up and disappear. He had to keep Kagome safe in the country where the closest law enforcement agency, when dispatched, could protect her if something happened and he failed. There was no running away, no cowardly moves, when Naraku came to try and take Kagome from him, InuYasha had to be ready--ready for anything and everything.

His walk didn't lead him very far away from his apartment building, they rarely ever had and he sucked in the nicotine flavored death stick, letting the smoke fill his lungs. He had to stop smoking, though, it was days like these when he couldn't cope without one. His head itched from his anger and horrible thoughts and he tugged on his hair hoping to alleviate the pain building behind his eyes. A migraine was undoubtedly on its way and he chewed on his lower lip as the plume of cigarette smoke wafted out from his nose and into the night air.

Once he had finished his second cigarette and paced around for the umpteenth time, he flicked the butt onto the ground and squashed the dying embers with his shoe. The fresh air was getting a little too cold for him and it had soothed his rampantly running emotions to a barely there dull ache. He was able to think more clearly no and less like a trapped mouse and all he wanted was Kagome.

It was funny that even after everything said and done, at the end of the day all he wanted was Kagome by his side and he hoped that it never went away. He was spoiled by her very presence and just as quickly as he had hurried away from her, he was heading back to their apartment. He couldn't stand to be away from her, especially after one of his minor blow offs, it made him feel guilty and he didn't like feeling that way, not when she sacrificed her safety and chose a life with him.

He hadn't even been gone an hour, yet it felt like it had been more than several and InuYasha sighed heavily as he pushed open the front door. Kagome stood in the exact same spot she'd been when he stormed off, dried tear tracks shinning on her cheeks and it was a punch to his gut. InuYasha didn't want to be the reason behind her crying and he bit on the inside of his cheek to scare away the shame.

"I'm sorry," his voice was soft and almost pleading, the hand combing through his long tresses doing nothing to calm his nerves. "God, I'm so sorry Kagome. I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

More liquid pain poured from her eyes as she watched him, the door closing behind him and locking. Some routines weren't forgotten for a reason. "I'm scared.."

It was as though Kagome was a child stuck in an adult woman's body, forced to deal with unimaginable things the way gazed at him and it made his heat crack in his chest. In a moment of need, InuYasha went to Kagome, his hands cupping her wet cheeks and gently holding her as his lips descended on her. He kissed her gently, merely whispered touches against fragile porcelain and all the tense feelings evaporated.

Her kisses were sweet like honey on a good day, but now, now they were something entirely different. She was sweet and spicy and soft touches quickly turned deeper as he pulled her to him, letting her feel his apology in a way he could but was still able to keep only a little bit of his pride. She responded reluctantly at first, cautious not to be completely swept away; however, when she gave into her desire it was a heavenly rainbow showering over him.

All of her worries disappeared with every passionate kiss, every teasing touch sparking something more primal and overwhelming. Articles of clothing were stripped from hot and flush skin and thrown away to be immediately forgotten. They danced around each other in a rhythmic and chaotic mess, elbows and other limbs smacking on passing walls, furniture and the occasional light switches. Kagome peaked and crashed, her loud cries and gasps of pleasure falling on almost deaf ears and InuYasha trucked further, pushing the both of them to the brink before throwing them over the edge.

Muscles InuYasha didn't even know he had ached and protested, he would be feeling it later; however, none of that mattered to him at the moment. All he wanted to do was continue laying his head on Kagome's bare chest, his arm holding her close while he listened to the steady beating of her heart. It was like a scene out of a movie, well almost, and he was perfectly content with the beauty of their comfortable silence.

_I love you Kagome_, he thought to himself holding her tighter to him and allow his mind to drift away.

**Do you feel like a man when you push her around?**

**Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground? **

**Well I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end**

**As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found.**

Music blared from speakers hidden throughout the large room, the thundering sounds of the drums and bass digging into her body and demanding motion. She wanted to follow the beat, get lost in its seductive melody and on any other day she would have and it would have been magical. Familiar and strange faces floated by her and she smiled politely raising her glass when needed, it was not a night for 'clubbing'.

Truth be told she didn't even want to be at some club in the middle of the night celebrating her birthday, she would have preferred a quite get together at home. Miroku and Koga had insisted though, their eyes wide and hopeful and like a gullible fool she caved in to their 'demands'. Of course it wasn't completely horrible, InuYasha seemed to be having a little fun and that alone was enough to make her grin and bear it. She hadn't seen him truly smile in what felt like forever, he always looked stressed and irritated and though he told her it had nothing to do with her, she couldn't help but know otherwise.

The time of playing damsel in distress was over, she couldn't expect InuYasha to be strong enough for the both of them forever, it would suck him dry and she didn't want to continue being the reason he blew up. She had to be stronger, more in control and give InuYasha some room to breathe or she'd lose him and that wasn't an option for her.

"Mmmm Kagome," long arms draped around her wait, pulling her against a hard chest. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you InuYasha," she laughed turning to face him, his lips immediately searching hers out with a chaste kiss. "You almost ready to go?"

It was already later than she would have liked; however, the little celebration wasn't as bad as she was making it out to be, she just wanted to go. The age she put aside for partying and making merry with music and booze was long over and she wanted to begin something entirely new. Maybe it was only her biological clock ticking down loudly, or maybe it wasn't, but whatever it was, Kagome wanted a family.

"Almost," he whispered against her lips. "You go ahead and say goodnight to everyone. I'm gunna go have a quick smoke."

Kagome nodded silently, watching InuYasha head out through the backdoor before she turned in search of her friends. She wanted to say her goodbyes and hurry after InuYasha as soon as possible. The idea of going back to their warm apartment together where they would be absolutely alone was more than appealing and she didn't want to wait any longer. The music was getting louder as she tracked down her friends, luckily for her they hadn't been spread out as she thought them to have been.

Hugs and innocent kisses came from her friends and Kagome returned them, waving to them and laughing at a few crude jokes tossed her way about the 'look' in her eyes. She guessed that her birthday could have been any better than it already was, she spent it with the people she cared most for and that that alone was enough to put a small smile on her face. But now it was time go to home and InuYasha was waiting for her, and that feeling was way better than a home run, ball over the fence kind of feeling she got thinking about him.

The back door was heavy and Kagome had to push against it with her shoulder to get it to budge and she sighed when the cold air hit her tired face. The loud music was cut off into muffles and she glanced around seeing only nothing but emptiness in the dimly lit alleyway.

"InuYasha?" She called out hoping that it wasn't her heart that was beating so loudly. "Hey InuYash--"

Kagome instinctively clutched her purse tighter to her body hearing something smash onto the metal dumpster and though a part of her was scared when she heard the grunts of me, she knew she couldn't run back to safety. Instead she headed deeper into the alleyway and immediately she spotted InuYasha's silver hair as it danced in the night air.

She wanted to call out to him; however the furious look on his face stole away anything she had wanted to say. His fingers were balled into fists, his lip was bleeding and his chest heaved as he pulled back his shoulder to punch the man whose back was facing Kagome. The strange man blocked InuYasha's attack, instead grabbing his arm and twisting it painfully, a large black book connecting with InuYasha's stomach followed quickly by an elbow to the back of his neck.

The voice inside of Kagome's head screamed as she watched InuYasha fall, his silver hair dirtied with blood and alley gunk and before she could stop to think she picked up a piece of abandoned wood and crept up behind the strange man. She wasn't going to let him hurt InuYasha anymore than he already had, and with that in mind she swung at his head. The sound of the collision made her stomach sink, the brittle wood breaking into smaller pieces leaving her weaponless and with a few splinters.

The man went down, his knees hitting the pavement and Kagome could feel the uneasiness seeping into her bones. InuYasha was slowly rising to his feet, his amber eyes glued onto the man and if it wasn't the calm before the storm she didn't know what was. The man was holding the back of his head, a snarl erupting from his lips as InuYasha towered over him and Kagome could only watch in horror as a shiny black metal reflected in her eyes.

"InuYasha look out!" She screamed as the man pulled the gun from its holster.

Everything happened in an instant, she reached out to the strange man and he turned, his dark black eyes catching her, his arm flinging to her, the bottom of the clip smashing into the side of her head. She felt the burst of pain explode in her head and neck as she crashed to the ground, her cheek scraping against the pavement. Naraku, her mind screamed, the bile rising in the back of her throat. The man-- it was Naraku, but how? Wasn't she supposed to be safe from him, wasn't all of this over? How did he find them so soon?

Her mind raced with unanswered questions as her brain desperately tried to et her body to respond. She couldn't move, couldn't cry or scream and she already knew why---she was going into shock. Hard and cruel laughter floated into her ears, haunting her and the loud pop that followed it instantly rebooted her brain as another ran in her ears. Naraku had shot InuYasha in cold blood.

"Get up Kagome," Naraku venomously snarled, his free hand grabbing the front of her shirt and dragging her to her knees.

The look in his eyes was evidence enough of how pleased he was, of how powerful he must have felt and Kagome screamed as loud as she possibly could. This wasn't happening; Naraku hadn't just shot InuYasha---he wasn't shaking her violently, his fist smashing onto her sore cheek ordering her to shut up. No, it wasn't InuYasha's blood seeping onto the pavement, itching its way over to her. It wasn't real, it couldn't be true…

"You killed him!" She screamed shrilly, her tears falling and she clawed at Naraku trying to break free from his iron clad hold. "You killed him! You bastard! YOU KILLED HIM!"

"You knew the consequences for your actions Kagome," he told her matter-of-factly, his dark eyes glowing in the dim light. "I hope he was worth the pain."

Kagome couldn't breathe, she was suffocating, slowly dying and all on the whims of the man in front of her. He was slowly dragging her away from InuYasha, away from everything and she could hear the echoing of his words in her head. _**'I hope he was worth the pain.'**_

They were the same exact words Naraku said before he hunted InuYasha down the first time and hospitalized him. The same words that made her feel helpless because she thought she deserved Naraku's kind of love, and just like last time he was there to take it all away again like a bringer of death.

"Kill me," she mumbled trying to force away the black dots from her vision.

"What did you say?" Naraku teased stopping next to the door Kagome had exited from earlier.

"Kill me," blood was dribbling down her cheeks obscuring the glare she directed at Naraku.

"I have better things in store for you Kagome," he said seductively, brushing the barrel of his gun across her forehead. "I came to retrieve my property, not kill it. I don't like to kill what's mine Kagome, and you are mine."

"If you don't I'll kill you where you stand," Kagome panted heavily. She knew that she wasn't a threatening creature, but she meant what she was saying. She would kill him in a heart beat.

His laughter was borderline hysterical and the barrel dug deeper into her skin, cutting her and he only seemed to enjoy the pain he was causing her. It was like rubbing salt in her wounds. "I'd like to see you try."

He pulled her to her feet, shaking her once for good measure and Kagome gasped in pain. He thought it was all a game, that it was okay to hurt people in pursuit of whatever demented perversion got him off; however, Kagome wanted no part of it. Using the last of her strength Kagome grabbed the lapel of his jacket with her hand and spat on him hoping that he would understand her sincerity.

Kagome could already hear the police sirens closing in, but the loud gunshots came out of nowhere and hit like a freak thunderstorm, one right after another. They were deafening and she mentally counted six when it ended, the ringing in her ears drowning out everything else. Her eyes were wide and she stumbled back, her legs giving out underneath her and once again her body met with cold cement.

"Y-you bitch!" Naraku glared at her, his gun clattering to the ground as he clutched his abdomen.

His body crumbled to the ground in a heap of dying flesh and Kagome could only close her eyes and wait for death. She had warned him and the funny thing was that she didn't have to try, her body had desired it badly. She wanted to crawl to InuYasha, to cry because she wasn't strong enough to protect him; however, the black spots were getting longer, her body growing numb and she wanted to drift off into the darkness and forget.

**Face down in the dirt, she said,**

**This doesn't hurt, she said,**

**I finally had enough.**

"Somebody grab a stretcher!" A voice yelled next to her ear, strong hands touching her, pulling at her and she wanted to yell at them to leave her alone.

Bright lights flashed in her eyes and she groaned trying to turn her head away from the burning. "Ma'am? Ma'am can you hear me? We're here to help you… Where have you been shot?"

She tried to shake her head no, but her body was refusing to cooperate. "N-no… Inu--"

"Ma'am?" She was being lifted and her tired eyes spotted the paramedics and police officers surrounding Naraku's body and when she was finally able to force her head in InuYasha's direction all she saw was darkness. Why wasn't anyone helping him?

"InuYasha!" She choked out, her hand falling from the stretcher in an attempt to reach for him. "InuYasha---please!"

As if on cue the sound of a helicopter assailed her ears, its spot light illuminating the dim alleyway and Kagome spotted silver. "Oh shit Eiri, get another stretcher, there's one by the dumpster!"

"Jesus Christ, he's got a pulse, somebody gimme a hand!" Tears leaked from Kagome's eyes as she was loaded onto an ambulance. He was still alive. Relief flooded into her body and she slipped into unconsciousness. Everything would be okay now.

_**The End.**_

_**E/N**__: This was surprisingly difficult for me to write. I can honestly say that I'm not able to sit down and pour out everything like I used to. Makes me wonder if my imagination is drying up, but then I thought of a really cool idea for a spin off of this story and figured I still got some good mojo left in me. _

_If felt good to start writing a story for InuYasha and Kagome, compared to the Rin and Sesshomaru funk I've been in since well since I couldn't write Inu and Kag pairings! Hoping that I'll be able to put up a new chapter for 'Anything for Love', but I'm not going to push buttons with my creative streak, or lack thereof. _

_OH well, but I did find it cool that the summary actually went with the ending, I couldn't even remember the summary I wrote until I went back and looked at it after I already finished the story. Am I cool or what? _

_SOOO If you enjoyed the story please review, if you didn't, please review. Either way we both win!_


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